Midwest U.S.-Japan 55th Conference
September 7 – 9, 2025
Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
Dear MWJA Japan participant,
Please find attached our Secretariat Announcement for the upcoming Conference.
| Saturday, September 6th |
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| U.S. Secretariat open for registration (10:00a – 5:00p) - Nishiki Room, 3fl | ||
| Sunday, September 7th | ||
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| 8:30a – 4:00p | U.S. Secretariat open for registration (8:30a – 4:00p) – Nishiki Room, 3f | |
| 9:00-10:00a | MWJA Board Meeting – Tsuru Room, 3fl (tba) | |
| Sunday Program | ||
| 11:00a – 1:00p | Welcome Buffet Lunch – Hibiya Matsumotoro (Hibiya Park) Across the street from the Imperial Hotel Two seatings: 11:30a-12:30p & 12:30-1:30p |
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| Afternoon VIP Meeetings: | ||
| 4:15-4:30p | US & Japan Chairs review Conference Highlights (Imperial Hotel) | |
| 4:30-5:30p | Joint Executive Meeting between US & Japanese Governors |
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| 5:45-6:30p | Transfer to Meiji Kinenkan by motorcoach (back Hotel lobby) | |
| 6:30-8:30p | General Reception – Meiji Kinenkan (State staff set up Exhibit booths Sunday – time tba.) |
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| Monday, September 8th | ||
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| Plenary Session - Peacock Ballroom, 2fl (Exhibition in outer room) | ||
| 8:00a | Exhibition opens – coffee/tea available to delegates. | |
| 9:00a | Opening Ceremony -National anthems -Opening remarks from Chairs -Welcome Remarks: *Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan |
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| 9:30a | -Keynote remarks: *Ministry of Economic, Trade and & Industry of Japan *U.S. Embassy in Japan |
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| 10:00a-10:10a | Coffee Break | |
| 10:10a-11:50a | Guest speeches from Japanese and U.S. Governors (5-7 min each) |
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| (Opening Ceremony concludes.) | ||
| 12:00-1:15p | Luncheon Program – Fuji Room, 3fl Yuji Akasaka, Former President/CEO:Group/Executive Officer Japan Airlines Co. Ltd |
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| 1:30-3:00p | Session I “Building Ecosystems for Future Growth” Panel *Daisuke Kojo, Senior Director, Government Affairs- Eli Lilly Japan K.K. *Ayumu Morita, CTO, Hitachi, Ltd. Japan *Jay Walsh, Vice President for Econ Dev & Innov, University of Illinois *Kristen Tabar, Group Vice President, Advanced Mobility Research and Development, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) Moderator: Yuji Hirako, Member of the Board, Vice Chairman, ANA Holdings, Inc. |
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| 3:00-3:15p | Coffee break | |
| 3:15-4:45p | Session II “Pathway to a Sustainable Future” Panel *Mr. Eishi Usami, Representative Director, Medtronic Japan *Yoshimoto Matsuda, President, Precision Machinery & Robot Company, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. *Scott Marion, President, Infrastructure, Lindsay Corporation *Kenji Irie, Executive Officer & General Manager of the Sustainability Planninng Department, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Moderator: Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, President, Clark State College |
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| 6:00-8:30p | Gala Reception & Dinner(with entertainment)- Fuji Room, 3fl | |
| Tuesday, September 9th | |||||
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| 9:00-9:30a | Special Session for our 55th Anniversary | ||||
| 9:30-11:00a | Session III “Partnerships for the Future” Panel *Beth Whited, Board President, Greater Omaha Chamber & Senior Advisor, Union Pacific *Osamu Mogi, Senior Executive Corporate Officer, Kikkoman Corp. Officer, Kikkoman Corporation *Kristopher Anderson, Director, Government Affairs, United Airlines *Yuichi Mano, Mitsubishi Logisnext Moderator: Norihiko Ishiguro, Chairman and CEO, JETRO | ||||
| 11:00-11:15a | Coffee Break | ||||
| 11:15-12:00p | Closing Ceremony: -Adoption of Joint Statement Guest speeches: *Hon. Hajime Kishimori, Consul-General of Japan in Detroit *Hon. Masashi Mizobuchi, Consul-General of Japan in Chicago *Hon. David Toland, Lieutenant Governor of Kansas *2026 Presentation | ||||
| Closing Remarks & Gift Exchange: *Gordon Dobie, US Conference Chairman *Takeo Inokuchi, Japan Conference Chairman Conference concludes | |||||